CHALLENGE
Much of the equipment and fittings for the handicapped and elderly are worn and out of date. This results in a bad working environment and poor experiences for the users.

Nexøhuset is home to multi-handicapped adults and physically or mentally handicapped residents. The buildings, facilities and equipment were outdated and the staff felt they were too busy with practical tasks to find time to give the residents the necessary peace of mind, care and nursing.

FINDINGS
Analysis of staff working routines led to the recruitment of a cook and the wish to improve the residents’ bath/toilet situation.

Analysis of residents’ activities led to the concept of mobile activities and “solo and joint activities”.

Analysis of the need for additional social contact between the staff and residents’ families led to new meeting forums.

SOLUTION
Nexøhuset had to be rebuilt and redesigned. The design consultancy “moved in” for five months, involving the staff and the residents in the entire process. Needs and wishes were turned into actual proposals for improvements – e.g. “the optimum care toilet”, which gives residents a more dignified experience and
provides the staff with a better working environment. Another idea was to implement a movement-interface and simple buttons for activities, so residents could independently switch TVs and other installations on and off. This made it possible to cut down residents’ waiting time in connection with aid and support for various necessary tasks.

RESULT
The user-driven design process has developed the staff’s skills in welfare technology and new knowledge.
Two subsequent projects in technology development and testing have put focus on welfare technology options that can improve residents’ opportunities for activities as well as the staff’s working environment.

A satisfaction study in 2011 has shown that residents and/or their families experience better opportunities for activities and that the staff experience better professional quality at their place of work than before the designers moved into Nexøhuset.

Project development AKP Design
Project principals Nexøhuset, Regional Municipality of Bornholm
Project support Danish Enterprise and Construction Authority